Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-10-07

y
All this while that he was with his mother,
and going through this painful scene, there
had been an unseen auditor, who heard every
word, and that was Pierre, who crouched dazed
and stricken behind the portiere. Without
wishing to he had surprised these terrible
secrets, and here too, for the first time, he
heard Of Raymond's love for Suzanne. He
rose feebly and crept to his own room, and
threw himself on the couch with groan, and
tried 10 range in his mind the things no had
heard But oil was confused mass of sound
and serse After awhile his mother came 70
his ROOM She bad never done so before.
Was it that her woman's heart cried out for
some one to love her, 70 believe in heri
any son, havo come to say good night.
l hope, Pierre, that l have always been a
good mother to you"
"You have always been kind and indulgent
and full Of Affection
"You are good son, Pierre; but feel to-
night as II had not loved you as tenderly as
you have always deserved. And If have
ever made you feel that have loved your
brother better than you, pray yea pardon
me for 1t, above all, tonight"
"And why tonight moro than any other
tiniein
"Betau,e feel very tired and very Ill, and
I feel that I have not long to live, and do
not wish, after / ain gone, that you think 1
did not love you"
| "If YOU arc not well, mother, we will go
away somewhere. A change perhaps would
do you good. Twill see the doctor to-mor-
row.
"No, dear, do not wish to leave here. Now
shall go to bed; but, Pierre, before ! go l
want To hear you say, Il pardon you
~ have nothing to pardon"
"Say the words, my son; say them"
"But, mother
"Ah, you refuse; yon are jealous still oil
the affection l have for Raymond. Oh, my
son. feel tonight that you are even dearer
to mo than he, and il Is for that that l beg
your pardon" th
But Pierre had lower ed his eyes and stood
cold and rigid, making no sign, and she left
him, scarcely able to drag herself along, ana
his heart melted at the sight Of her feeblenoss
and be went and sustained her to her room.
When they were there she said, again trying
so hard to smile: .I
$50, then, my son viii not pardon his
motherf
81 cannotln cried he; ~ cannot. l heard
all. know all"
"Ahw said she, simply; then she burst INTO
a laugh so harsh and strange that he started
and cried:
"Motheri Motherln
"Mother, mother; oh, yes, mother said
she, shaking her head, but still laughing with
that awful strideGt sound. Suddenly sue
stopped, and her head fell forward and her
arms hung Imply down each side the chair.
'Great Godl7
Even to his inexperienced eyes this was
death, and he rang and in haste sent for Ray
mond and q doctor, and then returned and
with the aid OF the servants got her into bed,
where she lay dying. When Raymond heard
abe gun shots he knew at once it was q note
OF alarm, as that was their method OF conf
munication when either was in the forest and
was wanted at home. He reached there, and
found his mother apparently dead, though she
revived and said feebly:
Raymond, Raymond, my best loved son,
will you do me one last favorl Go to Roger
and tell him am dying, and bring him here.
/ cannot face God without his pardon. Bring
him. oh, Raymond, and Pierre will stay with
me. Dear, noble Pierre, whom never half
appreciated. Go, my son, in Gods name"
| RAYMOND rode as for life to thu White
House and told Roger, who looked at him
coolly and said; E1.
"And Suzannel Am to leave this limo
cent child to die alone while go to the bed
side of that guilty womanT'
"Let me watch beside her. Ny mother
must not die without your pardon; she has
mine, God knows. Go to her and let me
watch BY this dear one whose life is so
precious to US alln
Roger clnsped his hand warmly, and with
| out another word led him to Suzane's bed
side, saying to the nurse:
"This Is her promised husband. l, her
father, authorize him to stay here until my
return.n And he rode away like tho wind,
leaving Raymond on his knees by Suzanne,
holding her burning hands in one OF his,
whilo with the other he softly rubbed her
forehead. which felt like fire under his touch.
She grew calmer and quieter, and after a
while the restless tossings ceased and she fell
into a gentle slumber, and the tense, dra wn
look about her brow and mouth relaxed He
did not move or scarcely breathe as he lEnelt
there, his whole soul melting into the love
and sorrow he felt for her blghted youth.
And whether he infused something Of his
own young life and strength into her or alb
sorbed by force of will or that occult science
which we call magnetism, the fever which
had so sapped her youth and strength, we
know not, but as the hours went by she grew
easier and better, and when morning came al
last she opened her eyes in reason again.
In the meantime Roger rode toward thu
dying woman as fast as his horse could go
Julia listened, listened, but no sound Of
horses feet broke the stiffness Of the night
and she writhed in her agony as she cried:
"He will not come. He will not pardon
me. Pierre, pray you, go to the window
Do you hear theml Go down in tia cour
yard and see if they are coming. Quick
Pierrel cannot see They will be too late
Oh, why do they not come, and Raymond
He did not stay for that one little word tina
might have soothed my dying bed. He die
not pardon his unhappy mother
Pierre went and looked he looked severa
times, but they did not come,
ale will net comen cried Julia in agony
and already her features took on that awfu
pallor OF the dead, when horses hoofs wer
heard. zone, only one,n she whispered
"He will not forgive. Oh, Pierre, Ray
mondln
Steps came rapidly up the stairs, but jus
rs the door opened and Roger Laroque steppet
! In, julia drew her last breath, and it was be
fore her inanimate corpse that he knelt, an
then, when they told BIN she was dead, h
bent ever that marble forehead and kissed
witI lips almost as white, saying: 'God fol
! giu me as l do you, julia"
Cu ApTER YIX